


with firm and confident spirit

by propertyofundefined



Series: with firm and confident spirit [1]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Exposition, Gen, My First Work in This Fandom, Pre-Relationship, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27449293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/propertyofundefined/pseuds/propertyofundefined
Summary: Was he not a great man, known for doing difficult things? His heroes' journey had begun by traveling across perilous lands to reach his mortal father, and every step of his life, he had fought immoral men and dangerous beasts without even a hint of fear in his heart.Still, it was true that this period he was in... was potentially more fraught than others.---Dethroned King Theseus dies in a not so spectacular manner and struggles to adjust to the afterlife. Maybe the Minotaur can help.
Relationships: Asterius | The Minotaur & Theseus (Hades Video Game), Pirithous & Theseus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Series: with firm and confident spirit [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005519
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome, all! Am I writing 50k worth of Theseus/Asterius fanfic for NaNoWriMo despite having not won in years? In this economy?
> 
> I guess so! This also means that editing will be light on all work this month.
> 
> Also, consider my Theseus/Asterius writing to be heavily inspired by all of [inkhorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkhorn/pseuds/inkhorn/works?fandom_id=28433393)'s far superior work- without them, I wouldn't have started to do the extra research to confirm that yes, Theseus really did go out like a chump.
> 
> Fic title is from Plutarch's "Life of Theseus", available in the [public domain](http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Theseus*.html).

A peaceful dinner in the open air had helped improve Theseus' mood significantly. Was he not a great man, known for doing difficult things? His heroes' journey had begun by traveling across perilous lands to reach his mortal father, and every step of his life, he had fought immoral men and dangerous beasts without even a hint of fear in his heart. 

Still, it was true that this period he was in... was potentially more fraught than others. It had been hard not to be positively dour on the ship ride over to Skyros. What hurt more, to leave his brave and bold best friend Pirithous to the darkest depths of Tartarus, or to come back to Greece and find he had lost the love of his fellow countrymen? Oh! Thinking about it again, even now many miles away, threatened to overwhelm him once more. 

He had fought many foes alongside Pirithous and after each success, had always reveled even harder than he fought. Pirithous was but a man who looked to reclaim what had been wrongfully reaped from him by the gods. Why should he suffer the loss of his wife without retribution? If only the two of them had been able to secure him Persephone as they had gotten Helen for Theseus, but alas- Theseus had not even kept Helen long.

Just as dear to Theseus as his bond with Pirithous was the sense of pride and duty he felt being the King of Athens. And yet! The very people he had given his blood and sweat to had scorned him so quickly. Theseus had spent years of his life gathering the people from across the countryside, lending them his ear, building them a metropolis, and upholding just law for them. That foul Menestheus had filled their heads with lies, called him out as a foreigner, as though being born in Troezen had made Theseus love Athens any less! Theseus had fought many a hard battle, but the adoration of his great city and its people was easily his most outstanding achievement. Oh, how it wounded him to return from the underworld, having lost their fealty. He never thought the people would cast him out of their hearts.

But no matter! He was the grandchild of the fair and wise Pittheus and partial son to the strong and deadly Poseidon! The situation now was but another trial for him to overcome and display his own resilience, his great glory. 

As much as he missed Pirithous and could use his battle combat in the current situation, he could not deny that his first task should be to rewin Athens. Freeing Pirithous from the underworld would be no small feat, as shown when Heracles himself had failed at it. Perhaps with Athens behind him, Theseus could fare better. Besides, Theseus hated to think of how the great might and beauty of his people would wither without him, under its current inept leadership.

But how to reclaim Athens? He had been hoping for allyship from King Lycomedes here on Skyros, but that was not moving along quite as planned. The King's reception had been chillier than expected. He hadn't failed any of his obligations as host, true. And yet, Theseus had felt no warmth in their interactions, no interest as he sought sympathy for his current predicament, or engagement when he had instead changed course and tried to regale the King with tales of his previous exploits. His battle stories from his fights with the centaurs had won over many feasts- would that he had Pirithous' camaraderie to bolster him now. Maybe Lycomedes needed a more cunning, diplomatic approach. Some men only listened if they knew, from the very first, what a conversation or proposition held for them. The King of Skyros may have been one of those very men. In which case, it was not a lost or unwinnable position, just a cause to switch tact.

At the thought, he heard steps behind him coming up the hill. Ah, his musings of the man had summoned the very King to his side. He quickly stood up from his picnic and turned away from gazing at the horizon.

"King Lycomedes! I was just enjoying the fine views your lovely island has to offer!" Theseus swept his hand out behind him, where the sun was setting over Poseidon's glory on the coast underneath the cliff. Lycomedes' face was firm, with no hint of a smile or any friendly affordance. Ah, perhaps Theseus was in the wrong not having invited the man in the first place? The King had so thoroughly rebuffed his previous attempts at kinship that he hadn't even considered asking the man. "My deepest apologies that I did not ask for your presence, dear King! Furthermore, I am sorry that I have no food left to share, though I must say your island has some of the finest olives in Greece."

"Theseus." The lack of an honorific stung Theseus nearly as much as the King's flat tone. "The island of Skyros is mine and belongs under my righteous rule. You have no claim to its throne or any of its lands."

Theseus face scrunched up in confusion. What had he ever said of leading Skyros? Furthermore, what did Lycomedes mean by none of its lands? He did have a family estate here, after all, and had every intention of returning to it tonight.

"Dear Lycomedes, what can you possibly-" Be talking about, should have been the end to his final sentence. Before Theseus could even finish his statement, Lycomedes had strode the last few paces to meet him and given him a hefty shove towards the water. Unprepared for the confrontation, Theseus' flailed as he fell backward. He barely managed to find the King's cloak, let alone hold fast to the man's body for perch.

He was falling. He had been enjoying the gorgeous pink and purple hues of the sunset sky only a few moments ago, but now it stretched wide and far above him.

How dare that scoundrel? To talk to him, the Great King of Athens, with such disrespect before beginning a frankly cowardly, one-sided, and unprovoked fight?

He was plummeting down the cliff. It was unbecoming of any man, let alone of Lycomedes' station, to begin a confrontation without full transparency and engagement of his fellow combatant! And to misread Theseus intentions so thoroughly, with such malice, as to think he wanted to take over Skyros in place of his own dearly beloved Athens?

It was not only the wind rushing in his ears anymore, but the roar of the ocean beating against the rock cliff below. Aha! Lycomedes was not only a base coward but also a wild fool! Skyros was surrounded by the domain of Theseus' godly father, Poseidon. For the King to think that he could send the sea god's own devout, cherished progeny to a weak, untimely death at the very god's hand? His father surely would not let him receive such a foul injustice.

Why, Theseus' tasks were adding up, for he now had to give fierce retribution to the heartless King of Skyros, and perhaps use such a win here to build his energy up, reclaim his holy city and-

Time stopped. The sky, faint with stars, was no longer rising away from his sight. The raucous roar of the sea combined with the whipping wind as he fell disappeared all at once. In its place, a deep tone resonated, filling his ears and seemingly all of the air around him. A bell?

"King." A smooth voice followed the chime, nearly as deep and again reverberating throughout his body.

"Wha-"

"This is it, King Theseus. There's nothing left for you here." No, no, no, that couldn't possibly be true. Not with this newfound revenge quest and why, Athens was waiting for him-

"No, King." The voice was firm, although not unkind. Theseus' body was shock still, suspended in midair, but he found himself able to turn his head towards the sound of the voice. Before him stood, no, floated, a stunning man in black robes. Despite his ashen skin and pure white hair, his yellow eyes were positively luminous as they bored into Theseus'.

He could almost feel a rebuttal coming to his lips, but the man's face remained unmoved, perfectly placid. "It's time to move on, Theseus." 

Theseus would never have called himself stubborn, gods no, but he was a man with a strong sense of self, and it was purely unkingly to be swayed so easily. There were things aplenty he wanted to do with his time left. 

Yet, in the gaze of this exorbitantly beautiful being, with his deep and almost sonorous words flowing through him, he felt his eyes begin to tire. As they started to drift shut, he saw the being reach a hand out towards his face. Long fingers gently cupped the back of his head, pushing into his hair as his eyes closed completely.

Theseus, previous King of Athens, slammed into the cold, uncaring sea and was killed on impact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole work is going to be very heavy on the exposition, so sorry about that. 
> 
> Did Theseus die by water/drowning? It depends on who you ask. Our boy Plutarch doesn't think so, but the [Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Theseus-Greek-hero) cites him as falling into the sea. The angst of Poseidon not saving him is honestly too good to pass up. 
> 
> Was Theseus Poseidon's kid? Plutarch also doesn't think so, but I found Poseidon's denial in Hades the game to be a little too adamant for my taste. Again, the narrative circle beckons.
> 
> For more about Theseus best bro in life, Pirithious, see good old [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirithous). Also, [one source](http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/tools/dictionary.php?method=did&regexp=1244&setcard=0&link=0&media=0) I read noted that Greeks believed Thanatos had to cut a lock of your hair to claim you, which I just think is neat.


	2. Chapter 2

He came to with a start, deeply gasping for air. He spun around to gain his bearings. 

He was standing in an enormous chamber filled with translucent figures. The blue-tiled floor stretched out in every direction, no walls or furniture in sight. The beings around him, who he now observed were covered in white sheets, took no notice of his arrival or heavy breathing. Where was he? What had happened?

Lycomedes! That cowardly bastard had shoved him off the cliff! What was this then? Could he... possibly be dead?

No, no, no. This was impossible. He had too much to do, and there was no way his journey ended with that weakling Lycomedes finishing him without challenge on Skyros. To think! A great hero like him, meeting an easy death, away from his homeland and beloved city?

Despite himself, he had fallen to his knees. He gripped the hair on both sides of his head in a failed attempt to regain his composure. He was spiraling rapidly, barely noticing as his own ghastly sheet pooled around his thighs.

He had died with no title. The God of the Dead captured his best friend, and the fiends who had stolen Athens had carried off his mother. He had not perished, valiantly, in battle. Theseus had not died on the throne, surrounded by his loving people. Barring that, he hadn't even been with his mother's side of the family in his nostalgic hometown. No, there was no way. It could not have ended like this.

And what had even been the cause of death? He remembered falling down the cliff- had he drowned? The son of Poseidon, drowning in the ocean?! Where had the god been? For years, he had grown up reverent on Troezen before he became an adult with the means to give sacrifices of his own. What was the meaning behind this?

Distantly, he remembered the death of his son, Hippolytus. In his rage at the time, using Poseidon's favor to purge what he incorrectly identified as the wickedness in his house was obvious. When Hippolytus had returned to him, Theseus had been overcome with the stench of the ocean on the young man, vainly trying to wipe away the gritty sand encrusted on his face before his son breathed his last. 

But Poseidon had been suspiciously absent during the fallout, after. Artemis had known the truth that Hippolytus was innocent, and had very clearly let Theseus know as such, later. Had Poseidon known? Where had he been then, in Theseus' grief? 

But no, this could not have been his fate. He was so far from everyone he held dear, at such a low station of his life. This was where his thread ended? With no proper way to seek retribution first and foremost against Lycomedes, before regaining Athens' rightful rule? He had no way to restore the glory he had been building upon for decades?

He had begun crying, or perhaps laughing, in his despair. The beings around him continued to pay him no mind, and the death grip he had on his hair was not helping him to feel any better.

His despondent thoughts continued for quite a while longer. Feelings of being unloved and powerless washed over him, with little positive ones to fight them back. He had sent his remaining children away to safety in Eurobea, at least. 

As he racked his brains for anything he could do to improve his situation, he briefly alighted on Pirithious. He was also here in the underworld! Saving his best friend had been on Theseus' task list- He once again had a purpose! 

Just as Theseus was standing up to go about it, he realized a significant roadblock. He was dead, and therefore in the underworld. This much he knew. But they had already been to the underworld when he and Pirithious had wanted to kidnap Persephone. Where he was now was something completely different from what he had seen before. It was too dark and misty to be the blissful Elysium, far too cold to be Asphodel. While there was an undeterred sense of despair that might have matched most mortals' vision of Tartarus, he remembered Tartarus being far more grey, contained, not as continuous.

But- oh. That only left one place. Erebus. Theseus threw his head back and guffawed, simultaneously stomping his foot in frustration. Of course, Erebus was the no man's land where those without a proper burial wound up. The indignity of going out without a fight was not enough for King Lycomedes, the act had also denied Theseus funeral rites. 

It wasn't any worse than any other part of his predicament- not having a funeral was far more remediable than having died. Theseus himself had been swayed by a concerned friend to help give the already perished Seven Against Thebes their burials; that act alone must be enough piety to ensure the same for himself someday.

It was just how everything in this situation had compounded all at once. The afterlife had no positive aspect for him. He and Pirithious had not come across Erebus in their travels. The only way to leave it was across the Styx. Theseus not only had no obols to pay the Stygian boatman, Charon, but without a burial, he had not been judged and given a final destination. No blissful Elysium for him, and now he had to quiet his doubts about whether he was still worthy enough to go there.

Well! With truly no other propositions, at least until his body was found or otherwise given rites, he might as well look around. How did time work in the underworld compared to the mortal realm? If that had been part of his teachings, he no longer remembered.

There wasn't all that much to see in Erebus! The solemn atmosphere and obscuring mist continued as he walked in the random direction he had chosen. As he moved, the shades amongst him continued to show no reaction. The hall wasn't completely silent - there was the low rumbling of quiet conversation, and his footsteps made the noise he expected. 

Of course, Erebus was a cruel mirror of his previous life in Athens. Walking among the people had been his favorite task- shaking the hands of his constituents, hearing their adorations, visiting the bustling stalls in the marketplace. 

But now, he was here. Was it the uncertainty the stripped away the vivacity of the souls here? Or was it the locale itself, buried so far from the surface, deep within the dirt? How much time would it take before he too was a silent, reactionless shade?

He kept walking. 

The density of shades gradually began to thin out. There was still no end to the floor, but the room, with no light overhead, seemed darker without the white shrouds filling it.

Just as he was considering whether it was possible to walk to the edges of Erebus and disappear altogether, something caught the corner of his eye. After seeing multitudes of hunched, huddled shoulders, the different body outline was stark. He stopped to turn and give it his complete attention, only to realize that different as the shape may be, he recognized the figure. 

"Fiend!" He called out to it. There was no movement. "Bull of Minos!" He amended. The massive bull-man began to turn, but Theseus strode the rest of the distance to stand in front of him. 

Theseus had been but a young man then, but the Minotaur was just as he remembered. The Bull's height and width made him imposing, even in the seated pose. From his position only a few feet in front of him, the Bull reached well up to Theseus' chest. The shawl wrapped around him made him seem especially beastly, as the sheet covered most of his humanoid body to make his bullish head more prominent. 

The bull-man had his head tilted to the side and was staring off to the middle distance. Before he could add another taunt, the Minotaur rumbled in the deep voice of the King's hazy memories, "Theseus, was it?" and made eye contact with him. 

Gods, Theseus had forgotten how piercing and positively human his eyes were. 

No, he would not be distracted! "Pshaw, was our encounter not memorable enough for you, vile monster?"

The Minotaur gave his massive head a comparatively small shake. "No. This area causes meaning for most people to fade and," he tilted his head as he glanced upwards towards Theseus' temple, "some time has passed." 

And now his day (night?) was progressing to being called out for his barely graying hair. That scoundrel! 

"Well! I guess that means I'll just have to give you a fresh experience, then! Rise, villain!" Theseus took a deep breath (did he still have to breathe?) and readied himself in a fighting stance.

The Minotaur, however, made no such movements. Instead, his brow furrowed. "I have no reason to quarrel with you, hero."

Theseus should certainly hope not. Unlike some people of note, Theseus had given the bull fair warning and ample time to defend himself. It was long ago now, but seeing him anew reminded the King that the Minotaur had been quite the opponent.

Usually, Theseus would've espoused the virtues of honoring Athens, the glory of winning against an abominable creature such as the Bull. However... he was no longer even the King of Athens. Was there glory at all to be had here, in this realm of forgotten, uncared for shades?

That didn't mean he didn't want to fight, though. Oftentimes in his mortal life, a good scrabble had made worries ebb away, the blood pumping through his veins a rich balm against other trivialities. Things were far more severe now, and he was thoroughly confused about which, if any, bodily functions he retained, but there was no way a battle could hurt here.

The very thought made him laugh. He was already dead! Somehow, the Bull's brow furrowed even more. 

"What else have you to do? What activity can be more exciting than combat with a worthy adversary?" 

The Minotaur stared at him. Theseus suffered through the silence and inability to read the other's expression for a moment before continuing. "So, wretch? If not fight me, then what is it you do instead?"

"What is it I do here?" The Minotaur asked slowly. "There is no... doing anything, here. There is just being." He continued to stare at the King.

"Pah, a pretty horrible existence, should you ask me! Why not jump at the chance to engage in a thrilling contest with someone such as myself?"

"It is not so bad, just being." The Bull broke eye contact, pausing at the answer. He turned up to look to where the ceiling should be if it were not just neverending darkness. Softly he added, "At least there is no heat." 

Another memory stirred at the back of Theseus's mind, but before he could dwell on it, the Bull was facing him again. "And what of you? I didn't think your type resided here."

Theseus spluttered. In a more charitable position, perhaps he could have admitted, if only to himself, that it was an astute observation on the bull-man's part, including an accurate assessment on his valorous nature no less. Instead, he could only think to declare, once more, "Do you not rise to meet me, foul beast?"

The Bull huffed, causing his dusty nose ring to flap against his snout. "You are not the type to be turned down easily."

Indeed, the Minotaur was quite the judge of character. Theseus gave him his most winning smile in return. 

"Very well." 

"Aha! None can resist a fight with a warrior such as I." 

The other man did not reply to that, repositioning his human half beneath him before moving to stand up. The monster began to roll his shoulders, and Theseus had to resist the bizarre urge to check the bull out as the sheet fell off his unclothed body. Perhaps this fight was just the opportunity he needed to level his rampant emotions, of all kinds, as of late.

Theseus worked to distract himself while his opponent lightly stretched. Just how many years had it been since they'd seen each other? Had the years gone by faster for him on the surface or the Minotaur below? Furthermore, pointedly not staring below the beast's waist, had his ribs always been so prominent against his fur?

Finally, the Bull ceased, likewise readying himself in a wide stance. "Ready."

"Then begin!" 

The Minotaur dipped his head, displaying a fracture that prevented his left horn from coming to a proper tip. Theseus remembered it well. And with that, the Bull lunged, sprinting at him once more. It would seem as though one could also not teach an old bull new tricks after all. Disappointing that there was no labyrinth wall in this hellscape for him to use while kiting the beast. No matter! He had fought many battles after his encounter with the brute, and although he didn't quite have his youthful vigor, he had hopefully gained agility through years of practice. There would be no weeping arm wound for him this time.

He counted down the beat in his head and then jumped to the side. He should have had more than enough space this time to avoid being gauged- but as he was landing the move, he saw the lean, humanoid arm instead coming towards him. Before he could react, it slammed into his midsection, knocking the air out of him and sending him back a few feet.

Theseus gasped for air as he lay on the ground. He could barely register his surprise, let alone sit up before a massive foot rested on his chest. The placement was gentle, all things considering. It did not have enough force to hold him down completely, but he sensed that more pressure would soon follow if he tried to get up. 

And here he thought an excellent spar would clear his head, get his emotions back to normal. Instead, looking up at an endless black area above him, he began to laugh uncontrollably. His eyes might have even started watering. With his lungs already emptied, he had to gasp a bit between laughs.

The massive head of the Minotaur came into his view, staring down at him. The darkness of the bull's eyes looking into his own rivaled the night of Erebus. His mouth was a perfectly flat line. "What amuses you?"

"I-" Theseus paused to stop laughing. The Bull's expression, inscrutable to the King, did not change. "This is one of the best competitions I've had..." He drifted off. Yes, this was better than his training sessions with Pirithious; here, he had thought the Minotaur to be reusing moves, only for the man to avert and use his own expectations against him. "...In a very long time."

There was another huff from the bull, his breath rustling Theseus' hair on the floor below his head. Despite losing, Theseus found himself sending a much less practiced smile than earlier back up at the man. There was no reaction in the Bull's countenance, but he removed his foot from his chest, and the other's head receded from view. Theseus was surprised when the Minotaur made no move to help him to his feet, instead choosing to stand back at a distance.

"Ha, well, my good man, you certainly got me there." If nothing else, this experience had not only taught him that he had a new (old?) cunning sparring partner but had also lifted his spirits considerably. "Perhaps time has muddied my memories as well; I should've known better than to underestimate you. But beware! I am quite capable of learning myself and fully intend to..." 

Before he could finish, his mouth was suddenly filled with a horrible weight. In the process of shuddering in shock, he felt his mouth forcibly click shut, followed by a pressure emanating from his crown. He dropped something he didn't even know he had been holding and pawed at his head, which was growing considerably itchy, as a loud clatter echoed on the floor beside him. 

He quickly tore off the ribbon that engulfed his head, tied under the chin. Removing it allowed him to open his mouth, where a sizeable glittering piece of gold plopped out into his open palms. Wait, coin? He reached one of his hands up to his temple, where his fingers traced the outline of some sort of thin pieces of metal, cut into the shape of leaves.

"I've been buried!" He exclaimed, immediately looking to his feet to see what he had dropped earlier. Oh, not only had they given him the requisite obol, but they had buried him with his trusty spear, blessed by Poseidon, along with an additional heavy pouch of goodies nestled between his feet. 

"Ah, but a momentary lapse." The Bull muttered as Theseus' hugged his spear to his body. To have had the spear with him on Skyros. If not Poseidon, then at least the weapon he had bestowed with one of the God's blessings would've protected him.

"The boatman, I must go!" He looked up at the Minotaur, who was as unreadable as ever. He quickly picked up the sack beside his feet. "Don't think this is our last match, Minotaur!" The Bull quirked an eyebrow as Theseus' pointed at him. "King Theseus will be victorious again!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, Theseus basically ends up with all of the Minotaur's siblings. Ariadne is well known from the myth with the Bull himself, but then years later, Theseus goes through a weird Oedipus type situation with Ariadne and the Bull's sister, who he's married, and his son by another woman (not Ariadne). Finally, in the game of Hades, he ends up with Asterius.
> 
> Poor [Hippolytus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_\(son_of_Theseus\)), although he really adds to the drama of Theseus and Poseidon's relationship. 
> 
> I have sadly not filled out the codex for Erebus or found it online, so forgive me if I'm not 100% canon here.


End file.
